Abstract
Purpose :
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of visual impairment globally, known for its multifactorial etiology. This study delves into the relationship between comorbidities, such as cardiovascular disease and hypertension, and the distinct stages of AMD within the European Eye Epidemiology (E3) consortium—a collaborative network spanning 12 European countries and comprising 29 research groups.
Methods :
We obtained cross-sectional participant data from studies within the E3 consortium which were performed between 2002 to 2017. Data included AMD stages classified on multimodal images, including no AMD, early/intermediate (e/i) AMD, and late AMD, in addition to comorbidity markers. We conducted binary logistic regression with adjustments for age and sex. Following this, we executed a meta-analysis using a random effects model for all comorbidities to account for heterogeneity (tau ≧ 0,2).
Results :
We analyzed data from 28,066 participants across 9 European studies, including 21,200 controls without AMD, 4,754 cases with e/i AMD, and 2,113 cases with late AMD. Cardiovascular disease was linked to a higher risk of late AMD compared to e/i AMD (OR 1.24, 95%-CI: 1.04 to 1.49), Hypertension was linked to higher odds of early AMD compared to no AMD (OR 1.13, 95%-CI: 1.03 to 1.23).
Conclusions :
In our analysis, the random effects model highlights that cardiovascular disease is associated with a higher risk of late AMD compared to e/i AMD. Hypertension was linked to higher odds of early AMD compared to no AMD. These findings provide a foundational basis for further exploration of shared pathways and potential interventions and preventative strategies.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.